Michael Kras Does a GOAT: Take Two

[Michael Kras]

Alright, since my first video kinda fell through, here's a second, much shorter video of my execution of The GOAT Change by Dan and Dave Buck. This is strictly a video of technique so please judge it as such. Thank you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu97qERLNos

Michael Kras

 

[ZachMueller]

Pretty good, I would just work on holding the card more lightly and naturally when placing it in the center. The change it self should bit a bit quicker, but you definitely have the right idea. The pass impressed me more than anything, very fast. I would just try and get rid of riffling the deck after the pass, which many people fail to do. John Carney said in his book that the pass should be the simple action of squaring up the deck, with no superfluous movements. The riffle was the only thing that made me realize you did a pass.

Very smooth!

 

[Sean_Raf]

I would just try and get rid of riffling the deck after the pass, which many people fail to do. John Carney said in his book that the pass should be the simple action of squaring up the deck, with no superfluous movements. The riffle was the only thing that made me realize you did a pass.

Very smooth!

I happen to disagree with getting rid of the riffling of the deck if it's natural for him to do that.

I too riffle the back of my deck when I execute a pass, it's never been a problem for me or noticed though because I often just toy with the deck like that; it's just the way I handle cards.

I agree that there shouldn't really be any superfluous movements, but if such movements are in accordance with how you handle the deck when you're not doing anything, then I see no problem.

In saying this, I can see why you would want it to be a 'simple action of squaring up the deck' but sometimes the deck is already square, what happens then? Possible interesting discussion I think but not for this thread perhaps.

- Sean

 

[Luis Vega]

There was a very,very,very tiny flash on the GOAT, but the pass was pretty good... actually my pass is slow and smooth,but I see that fast can also look good!! maybe I´ll try it

keep the good work

 

[ZachMueller]

I happen to disagree with getting rid of the riffling of the deck if it's natural for him to do that.

I too riffle the back of my deck when I execute a pass, it's never been a problem for me or noticed though because I often just toy with the deck like that; it's just the way I handle cards.

I agree that there shouldn't really be any superfluous movements, but if such movements are in accordance with how you handle the deck when you're not doing anything, then I see no problem.

In saying this, I can see why you would want it to be a 'simple action of squaring up the deck' but sometimes the deck is already square, what happens then? Possible interesting discussion I think but not for this thread perhaps.

- Sean

I feel that riffling just draws more attention to it, in my mind a pass should be completely silent and motionless, with nothing to attract the eye. If the deck is not squared up? I would merely dribble or spread the cards or perform some similar action that would require squaring of the cards. However that i just my opinion.

 

[Sean_Raf]

I feel that riffling just draws more attention to it, in my mind a pass should be completely silent and motionless, with nothing to attract the eye.

Hmm, but again I would say to you, what if riffling the deck at the back is such a natural thing for him to do, he does it enough throughout his whole performance (not just during that trick), then by the time it comes to execute the pass the spectators eye isn't attracted to the deck? Rather, they hear the sound and assume it's just him playing around with the deck like he was before?

I agree, some of the best passes are silent and motionless. However, for me at least, I would also say that your pass doesn't have to be silent and motionless. If the way you execute your pass fits in with the way you handle the cards naturally then why not? I'm not very good at putting thoughts into text, sorry I can't put it better than that.

- Sean

 

[JDENredden]

I feel that riffling just draws more attention to it, in my mind a pass should be completely silent and motionless, with nothing to attract the eye. If the deck is not squared up? I would merely dribble or spread the cards or perform some similar action that would require squaring of the cards. However that i just my opinion.

You say it should be silent and un-noticeable, but you dribble or spread the cards before the pass, but you would never riffle at the end....

J.

 

[Sean_Raf]

I think he uses the spread or dribble as a very disarming and convincing action that their card is lost in the deck. So even if they think that he had controlled the card, to them, he's already done so otherwise he wouldn't handle the deck so freely - So the next action of him squaring the deck (and executing the pass) is uncared for and unnoticed by the specs.

Something like that, Zach?

- Sean

 

[Michael Kras]

I deliberately riffle the back edge of the deck softly a few times throughout the course of many effects I perform IF they require a shift. Because of the added riffle in my shift, I do not have to misdirect during it... people watch my hands as I execute the shift and see nothing. In eliminating that natural, albeit redundant action, the shift's visibility may be at stake.